Topic: What Type of Care Will I Need Postpartum?
There is a lot of emphasis placed on staying healthy during pregnancy, but the time following childbirth is just as important. During this time, you’ll be welcoming your baby into the world, recovering from delivery, and trying to navigate life with a newborn.
Postpartum care is a vital part of this process, which is why you need an OB/GYN who will work with you to ensure your health as well as your baby’s.
The expert OB/GYNs at Plano Texas Gynecology & Obstetrics Associates can help you prepare for your pregnancy and deliver a full range of obstetrics services, including both prenatal and postpartum care.
Postpartum 101
The exact length of the postpartum period varies, but it generally refers to the first six weeks after your baby’s birth. While there are moments of shining joy, the postpartum period can also be a difficult, transitional time in your life.
Adjusting to life with an infant can be exhausting, and you might neglect your own health in favor of your baby’s. Coupled with the physical discomfort of recovering from childbirth, many mothers experience fatigue, stress, and even depression during this time.
Your postpartum visits to your OB/GYN aren’t just a chance to check up on your physical health. They’re an opportunity to address your additional needs and talk to someone who understands your situation.
What’s included in postpartum care
When discussing obstetrics, most of the attention is placed on pregnancy and childbirth. However, life doesn’t go back to normal after you give birth, and neither does your body. This is why you need to keep up with your postpartum care.
Following delivery, you might experience the following problems:
- Vaginal discharge
- Constipation
- Hemorrhoids
- Uterine pain
- Pelvic floor issues
- Swollen, painful breasts
- Hormonal changes
- General pain and discomfort
Many of these issues go undiscussed among new mothers, which leaves some women feeling lost and embarrassed about their own body. Your OB/GYN can explain why you’re experiencing these things, and prescribe treatments to alleviate your symptoms.
Could you have PPD?
Postpartum care doesn’t just involve your physical health; your mental health is just as important. After childbirth, you might experience mood swings, emotional outbursts, and even feelings of depression and disconnection from your baby, your family, and your life.
Plenty of women experience the so-called “baby blues,” but if you feel like the blue days are never-ending, you might be experiencing postpartum depression (PPD). This is common among new mothers, and nothing to be ashamed of. Be sure to mention these feelings during your postpartum visits, and we can help you get the support you need.
Topic Discussed: What Type of Care Will I Need Postpartum?
